Moisture and rust trap for air-pipes.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

J. S. BRIDGES.

MOISTURE AND RUST TRAP FOR AIR PIPES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC} '17, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented .Tune 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MOISTURE AND RUST TRAP FOR AIR-PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 732,042, dated June30, 1903. Application filed December 17, I902. Serial No. 135,493. (Nomodel.)

To all whmn it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, J OHN SAMUEL BRIDGES, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Moisture and Rust Trapsfor Air- Pipes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for trapping and blowing off moistureand loose rust which naturally accumulates in compressed air pipes andis well adapted to be used for such purpose in connection withlocomotive sanding devices which are operated by air-blast deliveredthereto from the main reservoir of the engine through connecting airpipes, which in practice become inefficient, because of moisture andloose rust collecting therein and choking the air-nozzle of the sander.

To these ends my invention consists in a trap composed of a hollow bodyhaving oppositely-disposed inlet and outlet ports near the top thereofand an interior deflecting-plate projecting downward from the inner topwall and disposed about midway between said ports, so as to deflect theincoming air and loose rust downwardly and around the same and out ofalinement with the outlet-port of the trap, the chamber formed by thehollow interior of the trap having some depth comparatively to serve asa temporary receptacle for such moisture and rust and provided at itsbase with a removable cleaning-plug.

My invention also consists in the combination, with atrap so constructedand a line of piping leading to its inlet-port, of a blow-off cook theshell whereof is provided with an aperture leading to the open air, andthe plug thereof has an additional passage which will register with saidaperture in the shell when the cock is so turned as to shut off theusual communication through the same between the air-piping and themoisture-trap; also, in galvanizing the interior walls of said combinedelements and the air-supply pipe leading thereto.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure l is a side elevationof the blow-off cock and vertical section of the moisture and rust trap,showing these parts in connected operative relation; and Fig. 2 is alateral sectional view of the device, both views showing broken oif theairtube leading thereto from the engine.

Referring to said drawings, the trap proper is a hollow body A,preferably cast integral, having a substantially flat vertical top walla, side walls a a, and end walls b b and having some considerable depthto form a receiving-chamber c. Oppositely-disposed inlet aud outletports (1 d are provided in the end walls I) 1), near the top thereof,the portplugs (Z (Z having screw-threaded ends to supply connectingmeans. Depending interiorly from the top wall a, about midway in thelength thereof, and consequently about midway between the inlet andoutlet ports, is a deflecting-plate B, extending downward into thechamber 0 somewhat below the horizontal plane of the ports (1 d.

Covering the interior end of the outlet-port is a screen i, shown in thedrawings as a perforated thimble, the object being to prevent asfar aspossible particles of rust passing out of the chamber and into theoutlet-port. At the base of the chamber a and of the trapbodyAis aremovable cleaning-plug f, whereby condensed moisture and rust particlesmay be withdrawn from the trap.

The deflecting-plate, as well as the whole interior of the chamber 0 andits ports, the connecting air-passages, and the interior passage of theinterposed blow-olf cock above referred to and hereinafter described aregalvanized to further prevent rust formation, and this interiorgalvanizing I extend to the interior of the whole length ofconnectingpipe D, leading to the engine.

My trap finds its chief utilityin preventing moisture and rust particlespassing to the valve and port-passages of locomotive sanding deviceswhen employed in combination therewith and with a three-ported blow-offcock and connecting air-pipe leading thereto from the engine. Thisblow-off cock is not only in the combination and arrangement justmentioned, but elementallya novel feature of my invention. As shown inthe side elevation Fig. 1, the shell 0 is made, as usual, with oppositeport-opening p p; but in addi' ICO tion thereto I provide a blow-offportm at right angles to the port 19 p to establish cominlet-port p andthe open air, while closing the outlet-portp completely. This blow-offcock is provided with suitable connecting devices at its outlet-port(see Fig. 1) with the inlet-port of the trap, and at its inlet-port itis suitably connected with the air-supply pipes leading from the engine.

The operation of the device is as follows: In locomotive sanding devicesit has been found that moisture and rust particles clog the passages,cutting off or reducing effective pressure at its most important pointand crippling the operativeness of the device. The galvanized interiorwalls of the trap, of the blow-off cock, and of the air-pipe leadingfrom the engine thereto will largely prevent the formation of rust.Scale collecting in the airsupply pipe leading'from the engine to thetrap through the interposed blow-off cock is easily discharged throughthe blow-off port in the plug and shell of the latter when they arebrought into register by a turn of the operating-handle. In the normallyoperative position of the blow-0E cock the compressed air enters theinlet of the trap, and contained moisture is deflected downward by thedeflecting-plate into the receiving-chamber of the trap. The perforatedthimble covering the outlet-port of the trap assists in preventingmoisture and scale from passing to said outlet-port. 'lhe sanding devicewith which the apparatus is used is therefore effectually screened fromsuch foreign bodies. Any accumulation of moisture, rust, or dirt caughtin the trap-chamber may be removed through the basal opening therein,which is normally closed by the cleaning-plug.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A moisture and rust trap forcompressedair pipes, consisting essentially of a hollow body the wallsof which form an inclosed receiving-chamber, having oppositely-disposedinlet and outlet ports, a deflecting-plate in said chamber interposedbetween said ports, and a blow-off port at the base of said cham bersubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A trap of the class described consisting of a hollow body the wallsof which form an interior chamber having oppositely-disposed inlet andoutlet ports near the top thereof, means to rem'ovably connect saidports with a line of piping or other cooperative devices, a blow-offport at the base of said interior chamber, with means to control thesame, and a defiectingplate dependent from the top of said chamber,interposed therein between the inlet and outlet ports, and extendingslightly below the horizontal plane thereof; substantially as described.

3. A trap of the class described consisting essentially of a body whichis made -hollow interiorly to form a receiving-chamber and having inletand outlet ports in its walls,-with means to retard and check thepassage of foreign substances through the same and through theoutlet-port thereof, of a controlling two- Way cock composed of a shelland a plug each having a supplemental discharge-port adapted to bebrought into register when the usual oppositely-disposed ports in theplug are in closed position,relativcl y to each other,within the shell;and a line of air-piping suitably connected with the inlet of saidcontrollingcock; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 10thdayof December, -A. D. 1902. I

JOHN SAMUEL BRIDGES. Witnesses:

MILLARD LEONARD, J. O. HAYNE.

